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South Africa Travel: Pretoria

The northernmost major city of South Africa, Pretoria
is home to all foreign embassies as well as the administrative branch of the
national government. There are several universities and research institutions
in the area, which attract some of the best minds in Africa. Although not a
major “party” city nor considered one of the most exotic destinations, Pretoria
nonetheless has a lot of interesting cultural and natural landmarks to explore.
Below are a handful of options for travel in Pretoria.

Voortrekker Monument

The city, at least in its current form, was founded by
Voortrekker Andries Pretorius in
the mid-19th century. There is some dispute as to what people may
have occupied the area in prior times. Nonetheless, the Voortrekker Monument is
a large granite structure which pays homage to the city’s pioneer settlers. It
features a mixture of European and African architecture.

The centerpiece of the monument, called the
Centograph, bears the Afrikaans phrase “’Ons vir
Jou, Suid-Afrika’, meaning “We’re with you, South Africa.” The iconography of
the Voortrekkers is common throughout the monument, making it a great way to
gain some historical insight into South Africa while enjoying the grand
spectacle of the Voortrekker Monument.

Rietvlei Nature Reserve

About 40 kilometers south of the city lies this wildlife
refuge. Here visitors can encounter leopards, buffalo, hippopotamus, and other
large mammals as well as over 400 indigenous species of birds.

Pretoria Zoo

Also known as the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, all of the exotic animals of African fame are
easily viewable within a short distance of one another – like red pandas,
African cheetahs, black rhinoceros, and giraffes. It is one of the largest zoos
in the world. It is so large, in fact, that some visitors opt for golf carts to
travel from one enclosure to the next.

Horseback Africa

This is one of the most
highly rated adventure choices on travel sites. Visitors ride horses through
the African bush, encountering African wildlife like lions on the so-called
“Lion Tours”. Included in the tour packages are conservation education and
information on how to get involved in saving endangered wildlife on the African
continent.

Hazel Food Market

Located in the old
East-Menlo Park district, this bustling international food market features
dining options from all around the world. After exploring the city, this is a
great way to relax and refuel.

For an experience in a
truly international African city, Pretoria is definitely worth checking out.